Supervisors info:
Λεμονίδου Χρυσούλα, Καθηγήτρια, Τμήμα Νοσηλευτικής, ΕΚΠΑ
Διομήδους Μαριάννα, Καθηγήτρια, Τμήμα Νοσηλευτικής, ΕΚΠΑ
Βελονάκη Βενετία-Σοφία, Επίκουρη Καθηγήτρια, Τμήμα Νοσηλευτικής, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
Introduction: Conscientious objection in the health care sector is the refusal to provide or participate in an aspect of health care practice because of personal moral values and conscience.
Aim: The investigation of health professionnals’ knowledge, attitudes and behaviour towards the right of conscientious objection within the context of health care.
Material and research method: A cross – sectional study was contucted with a convenience sampling of medical and nursing staff of a general hospital of Athens. Data was collected via an electronic form and it was analysed using S.P.S.S. v27.
Result: One hundred (100) doctors and one hudred (100) nurses or nurse assistants participated in this study. Half of the participants (50%) were aware of the concept of conscientious objection and their relevant right. Main source of information were their studies and scientific magazines. The majority of the participants (26,6 %) thought that a lot of information problems will be caused in their work area if they refuse to participate in a legal medical act. 58,5% of the participants considered obligatory to introduce to patients all the scientifically validated treatments, even those ones which ran contrary to their beliefs, while 49,7% of the participants acted according to this obligation. Forty per cent (40%) of the participants have avoided performing some of their duties because of moral reason, whereas 45,5% of the health professionals have never referred a patient to another doctor/nurse who would have no objection to carrying out a duty because of moral reasons. Age (p= 0,011), education level (p=0,009) health professionals who have taken a course in biothics and medical law (p<0,001) or had access to information on issues of biothethics and medical law (p<0,001), the role of religion in their life (p= 0,003) are all linked to the knowledge of the concept of conscientious objection. Raising a consciencious objection is related to the sex (p= 0,001), the participant’s position (p= 0,011), their realigion (p= 0,001), their education on issues of bioethics and medical law (p= 0,034), the importance of religion in their life (p= 0,011) and their awareness of the right itself (p= 0,013).
Conclusion: It’s the first research that has been conducted in Greece in order to investigate the health professionals’ knowledge, attitudes and behaviour towards the right of conscientious objection. More studies are required to define the factors affecting health professionals’ knowledge, attitudes and behaviours towards it and the interventions which may promote the appropriate exercise of this right.
Keywords:
Conscience, Conscientious objection, Moral consciousness, Health professionals kwowledge, Health professionals attidudes
